Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York – Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, of Hofstra’s department of Global Studies and Geography, has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, N.Y. The appointment was made by US Secretary of Transportation, the Honorable Raymond LaHood.

Dr. Rodrigue, Ph.D., was chosen because he is “a globally recognized expert on transportation issues”, Secretary LaHood said. As a member of the Advisory Board, Dr. Rodrigue is expected to ensure that the Academy’s curriculum and faculty are properly aligned and in step with current industry trends.

“It is obviously an honor to have been appointed and I will do my utmost to meet the expectations of the Secretary and the USMMA,” Dr. Rodrigue said. “This represents a unique opportunity in helping shape American maritime education for the years to come. In a global economy, maritime transportation plays a very important role in delivering the goods.”

Dr. Rodrigue has been published in numerous articles in CNN.com, The Atlantic Cities magazine, and The New York Times. An industry leader on transportation, Dr. Rodrigue is a sought-after expert for industry articles and his work, L’espace économique mondial: les économies avancées et la mondialisation, (The Global Economic Space: Advanced Economies and Globalization) won the PricewaterhouseCoopers “Best Business Book” award in 2000.

The USMMA, founded in 1943, is a Federal service Academy within the Department of Transportation’s purview that trains leaders for service in the commercial maritime industry and the nation’s Ready Reserve defense fleet. Graduates from the Academy earn a unique combination of credentials: a highly-regarded Bachelor of Science degree, a U.S. Coast Guard license, an officer’s commission in the U.S. Armed Forces.